First time in J&K, number of active militants less than 200 at present: Security top brass

Only 86 local militancy active; 128 locals joined militancy this year, 73 were killed, only 39 remaining: IGP Kashmir; Local militant recruitment drastically down; foreign militants coming out of hide-outs as locals refuse to carry out Ops: GoC 15 Corps; six militants including two foreigners, one soldier killed in two Ops in South Kashmir since last night

Qazigund, Dec 30 : Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar Thursday said that for the first time in the past 30 years of militancy in Kashmir, the number of active militants in the Valley has come down to less than 200 while the number of local militants active is just 86. The Kashmir police chief also said since last night, six militants including two foreigners and a soldier were killed in two separate encounters in Southern districts of Anantnag and Kulgam.

Addressing a joint press conference at 2 Sector RR headquarters in Wuzur area of Qazigund, the General officer Commanding (GoC) of Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lieutenant General D P Pandey, IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar, SSP Anantnag Ashish Kumar Mishra and other officials of police and army said that in the last 24 hours, six militants including two foreigners and a soldier were killed in two encounters at Anantnag and Kulgam districts. “Two soldiers and a policeman also sustained injuries in the Anangnat encounter,” the GoC 15 Corps said  adding that those injured are stable. “Two foreign militants killed in Anantnag encounter were affiliated with Jaish-e-Muhammad outfit,” he said. “The slain soldier was identified as sepoy Jasbir Singh.”

Replying to a query that foreign militants are also getting killed, the GoC said that it was because they are coming out of their hide-outs to carry out operations as locals militants are refusing to attack forces due to their own challenges. “As the foreigners would come out of their hide-outs, they will be killed,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, SSP Anantnag said that one M-4 carbine, eight magazines, two AK 47 riffles and other ammunition were recovered from slain JeM militants.

Replying to a query, IGP Kashmir said that in the past five days, 11 militants were killed and in two operations since last night, six militants including two foreign militants were killed. The IGP Kashmir, however, said that rise in encounters doesn’t mean that militancy has increased as it was totally otherwise. “For the first time in the past 30 years of militancy in Kashmir, the number of active militants has come down to less than 200. It is also for the first time that number of local active militants is 86 only,” IGP Kumar said.

GoC Pandey said that local militant recruitment has drastically come down as this year only 128 to 130 locals joined militancy compared to 180 last year. Chipping-in, IGP Kashmir said that this year out of 128 local militants who joined militancy, of which 73 were killed, 17 were arrested and only 39 are active only—(KNO)